THIS is a Suzuki GSX-R1000R. Well, the scattered parts of one anyway.
Belonging to leading Bennetts British Superbike Championship team OMG Racing and its rider Josh Elliott, the BSB race winner crashed at Donington Park's notorious Craner Curves, a bend known the world over as being exhilirating to get right and downright destructive when it goes wrong.
To Elliott's credit, he was one of several riders to go down over the weekend but what started as a low-key low-slide escalated unexpectedly fast when it dug into the ground and momentum did the rest as these incredible photos (by top motorcycle racing photographer Bonnie Lane) testify to.
Fortunately the photos show that Elliott had already drifted apart from the bike so was completely unharmed, even if his heart sank as he watched the bike that took him to his first BSB victory at Silverstone barrell-roll, split into two pieces and scatter like a pinata of detaching parts. A marshal was later seen pushing the front wheel and forks like a wheelbarrow.
Just a small off this weekend for @JoshElliott_10... signed off his @DoningtonParkUK Craner Club membership in some fashion...
In other news...For Sale - 1 Suzuki GSX-R1000, minor wear and tear
Bonnie Lane - Cheers for the incredible photos!#BSBisOMG #OMGThatWasABigOne pic.twitter.com/cenzUS0ghl
— OMG Racing (@OMGRacingUK) May 29, 2019
OMG that was a big one indeed!
Remarkably, this did not become an 'ex-Suzuki', with the OMG Suzuki team pulling an all-nighter and rebuilding it into the shiny, distinctive 'pink panther' machine you see here.
IT’S ALIVE! @JoshElliott_10 heads out on the newly constructed #PinkPanther - following out @LukeMossey12 #OMGRacing | #BSBisOMG pic.twitter.com/A2OHBhQVVY
— OMG Racing (@OMGRacingUK) May 25, 2019
Proof that even the most innocuous of crashes can have the biggest consequences... and why BSB teams are the mechanics we wish we had when we send it into the scenery!
